Turkey Pinwheels

A Versatile, Crowd-Pleasing Appetizer for Any Event

Turkey Pinwheels are such a delicious and customizable snack, and ideal for so many occasions! I make them for baby showers, Christmas parties, football parties, girls’ nights, you name it! Any leftovers make for a perfect little lunch the next day. I love the classic flavor combo of the turkey and bacon, but this pinwheel lends itself to so many options. You can add cucumber, carrots, red pepper, baby spinach, tomatoes, hummus (instead of a cream cheese base) – the options are endless. I love that these turkey pinwheels are so easy to prepare, and can be made in less than 30 minutes!

Ingredients for Turkey Pinwheels

A few ingredients is all you need to make this tasty appetizer:

• Cream cheese – softened
• Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix – you’ll use about 3 tablespoons of the dry mix.
• Shredded cheddar cheese – pre-shredded is fine, but hand-shredded tastes the best!
• Cooked and crumbled bacon
• Green onions – chopped
• Flour tortillas – you want burrito sized tortillas.
• Turkey – thin sliced deli turkey, but not shredded, you want the turkey to still hold together.

How to Make Turkey Pinwheels

Prep time is so quick for these!

• Step 1: Add cream cheese, ranch mix, cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onion in a mixing bowl and mix well using either an electric mixer or a wooden spoon.
• Step 2: Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over each tortilla.
• Step 3: Place 2-3 slices of turkey down the center of each tortilla over the cream cheese layer.
• Step 4: Tightly roll up the tortillas and cut into 1-inch slices.

Tips for Rolling Your Turkey Pinwheels

Start rolling from one edge and keep it firm but gentle to avoid tearing the tortilla. Roll as tightly as possible. Sometimes while rolling, the turkey will slip and come out the other end. To avoid this, place the turkey slices more toward the side you start rolling from and leave a good 3-4″ from the edge of the tortilla bare, with just the cream cheese spread. This also helps seal the end off.

Make Pinwheels Ahead of Time

You can make Turkey Pinwheels a day in advance. Prepare them up to the point just before slicing, leaving them in their rolled-up form. Wrap the rolls in plastic wrap, and place them in the fridge. An added benefit of preparing these in advance is that the flavors have more time to meld together. When you are ready to serve the next day, remove the turkey rolls from the fridge and slice into 1-inch slices.

Tips for Making the Perfect Pinwheels

Use the right tortillas – Use fresh, soft, pliable tortillas. The bigger the better. You can find huge tortillas at restaurant supply stores like Cash & Carry.

Spread the filling evenly – Use a thin, even layer of the spread. This helps the tortilla stick together when rolled.

Don’t overstuff – Use just enough turkey slices, cheese, and vegetables so the roll can close snugly. Overfilling can make the pinwheels unravel.

Chill before slicing – After rolling, wrap the pinwheels in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Chilling firms up the roll, making it easier to slice without squishing. Also keep chilled until ready to serve, even after slicing. This will keep the filling firm and easier to eat.

Use a sharp knife – Slice the pinwheels with a very sharp knife to prevent squishing. Clean the knife between cuts if it gets messy, to ensure clean slices.

Trim off the ends – The ends of the roll may not be as pretty—trim them off for a uniform look and save those as snacks for yourself!

More Easy Finger Foods for Parties

Ham, Cheese, and Pickle Roll Ups
Ham and Pineapple Wraps
Easy Cucumber Sandwiches
Best Deviled Eggs
Easy Phyllo Cups with Fruit
Lettuce Wraps
Italian Sandwich Wrap
Chicken Caesar Wrap